Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-05
wALLACEAND BUCKNER.
Reminiscence of a Thrilling AdyeD-
ture by General Lew wallace.
Nashville American.

that white handkerchief at Vicksburg,"
said General Willard Warner yesterday
to sn ex- Confederate when the subject
of Fort Donelson at the time of its SUR
render to General Grant was introduced
in the company of gentlemen who saw
General Wallace for the first time since
thatmemorable 18th OF February, 1862.
The splendid account of that event, as
written by him for The century maya
zine in one of its first issues containing
war stories, was so distinctively non
partisan that but for his own part in the
interesting events it would be difficult
TO tell which side lie was on.
Reviewing the events of the surren-
der he said; "When the messenger
appeared with a flag of truce about
daylight I asked who sent it, and he
said, General Buckner. Are you
rot mistaken / understand that
General Pillow is in command No,
sir: I'm not mistaken. 1t is General
Ruckner. ! went with the truce Off
Ger into the town of Dover, and to a
house which looked as hotel. Have
General Wallace To come In, | over
heard from Buckner, and on en-
teriDg the dining room he arose
from the table, and advancing took
me cordially by the hand. Turn
ing to the table he said, General Wal
lace, you need not be introduced to
these gentlemen you know them all,
and sure enough, looking along on both
sides I recognized every face of the six
or eight present. They had arisen and
stepped forward in cordial greeting. |
could see expressions on their faces
which told of their depression of
spirits, hut there was 10 demonstration
until Tom Clay took my hand, when
he burst into tears. Soon General
Euckner asked me If | had been to
breakfast, and said no, it is too early.
'Yon will Join rs? Certainly | re-
piled, and when seated he asked the
serya.t if there was any meat. No,
SIR You have bread /? Yes, sir, corn
bread and coffee. Corn bread and
coffee were brought me, and at the
thought / observed that corn bread and
coffee were the only articles of food at
the table. | was impressed with two
things by Ruckner-his faithfulness to
stay and share the consequences with
his men and his thorough self-posses-
sion OF manner. He was as courteous
as if in his own drawing-room i'll time
Of peace. In about an hour General
Grant arrived, and Buclner asked me,
What are you going to do with us
ard fer the moment suspected he was
concerned Tor his personal safety, but
he almost Immediately made the re-
Guest that he be allowed to stay with
the men who were there in the room
with him"
Wallace had invited Buckner to a
military encampment ct indianapolis
July I, 1889, and in return he had
shared Buckner's hospitality in two
weeks encam pment at Louisville in the
fall following, and there met the gen
tlemen OF Buckner's staff
There wss with General Wallace at
To- dinner-table Monday General Will
lard Warner, of the Union army, Gen
eral J. +. Wholess, and another ex-
Confederate. The theme of converse
ton WIS on "reminiscences of the late
war. One of the party experienced the
deepest dread of going into battle on
waking thoroughly chilled under fire.
He admitted being dreadiully frighten-
ed. One of the generals had "A staff
officer conspicuous for his gallantry,
who awoke under fire from sleep one
day and ran away bareheaded, going
by his horse ready saddled. That
nigh; ne returned to the tent. Adj
dressing the General he said he wanted
to resign that he had disgraced him
self and only asked that he be allowed
to go away in his shame. The COM
mandpr replied that he knew the situa-
ton that he was not conscious of con-
ditioIs, and that he would not let him
resign He told all the subordinates
that be did not want one of them ever
to speik OF the event, not even to talk
of it between themselves. He added
that from that day TO the end OF the
war the man in question always seemed
to court death. In the matter OF recol-
lection, General Wallace said that i'll
1916 he went with one of five who bore a
message from General Scott to lack
Tayloi, and that there were two men with
General Taylor, one of whom was JEFF
ferson Davis. The bearer of the mes
sage was handing the package across a
table 10 Taylor, who was so phlegmatic
and slow that Mr.. Davis spiritedly took
hold of the package, tore it open, ex-
aminel, and reported the contents. He
had never seen Mr.. Davis before, and
did not again until 1866, when, as he
walked into the War Department at
Washington, MIR. Davis saw him pass
the strong light of window, aud as he
approached the then Secretary Of War
took him by the hand, asked him If his
name was Wallace, if he had belonged
to thel- Indiana regiment, and il he
was not present at the conference al
ludea TO. 1t was, under the circum-
stances, the most remarkable recollec-
tion be had ever known.